comment

A 56-year-old man, who police had suspected of selling marijuana in Putnam County, was arrested Tuesday in Carmel, according to Sheriff Don Smith.

Anthony Bucaj, of Yonkers, is now facing several felony and misdemeanor drug charges.

According to Smith, Kent police were working an unrelated case when they unearthed information they said linked Bucaj to drug dealing in the neighboring town of Carmel.

They passed those allegations along to the Sheriff’s Office’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit, Smith said.

During the NEU's investigation, an undercover deputy sheriff reported buying marijuana from Bucaj on three separate occasions, Smith said.

Bucaj, who was arrested in the parking lot of an unnamed shopping plaza, has been charged with three counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor; and three counts of third-degree criminal sale of marijuana, a felony.

He was arraigned in Town of Carmel Justice Court and sent to the Putnam County Correctional Facility. Bail had been set at $15,000 cash or $25,000 bond.

If found guilty of the felony charges, Bucaj could get four years behind bars and fined up to $5,000 on each count.